Check out system

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses a merchandise check out system in which a cart in which the customer has collected the merchandise is presented to a check out station so that a check out clerk in the station can pick up the articles of merchandise from the cart directly, while a second cart in end to end relation with the first cart has bags therein into which the merchandise can be placed directly by the check out clerk, thereby eliminating the counters and conveyors. The basket of the cart is open at the front and is tiltable upwardly at the front end to selected angles.

[ Oct. 24, 1972 Unite States Patent Shofiner [54] CHECK OUT SYSTEM [72]Inventor:

31 8 South Road,

New 928,542 6/1963 Great Britain.........280/33.99

Willie M. Shoffner, Luthern Church Lebanon, Ohio 45345 Aug. 11, 1970Primary Examiner-Evon C Blunk [22] Filed:

Assistant Examiner-Merle F. Maffei Attorney-Melvin A. Crosby [21] Appl.No.: 62,889

[57] ABSTRACT The specification discloses a merchandise check out .186/1AC, 53/390 .E04h 3/04 l86/l.l, 1.1 C; 214/388;

[52] US. Cl... [51] Int. Cl.

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sum 70F 7 FIG-2| WILL/E M. SHOFFNER CHECK OUT SYSTEM This inventionrelates to merchandise check out systems and is particularly concernedwith a system of this nature for use in retail outlets such as grocerystores and the like.

The conventional type retail outlet of substantial size operates bystocking merchandise on open shelves and merchandise carts are providedfor the customers who take the carts through the store and place desiredmerchandise therein.

When the desired merchandise has been selected, the cart is taken to acheck out station and the merchandise is checked out by a check outclerk and transferred to a suitable container, or containers, such asone or more boxes or bags. The merchandise after being placed in thecontainer, or containers, is then removed from the establishment, as bymeans of a further cart in which the containers can readily be conveyedto an automobile.

The check out station in such an establishment is usually rather largeand the operation of checking out the merchandise is slow and laboriousand time consuming. Ordinarily, the customer removes the merchandisefrom the merchandise cart and deposits it on a counter or conveyor andthe check out clerk then checks out the merchandise item by item andinserts the sales price thereof in the cash register while advancing themerchandise item by item on the counter or conveyor.

After the merchandise order is completely deposited on the counter bythe customer, and completely checked out by the check out clerk, it istransferred to containers, either by the check out clerk or by a furtheremployee. The described operation involves the handling of themerchandise at the check out station first by the customer and then bythe check out clerk and then again either by the check out clerk or by afurther employee.

Attempts have been made to eliminate at least one handling operationduring the checking out operation including arrangements where themerchandise cart either extends over the top of the check out counter orwill pass therebeneath so that the check out clerk unloads the cartdirectly and can check the items out while doing so, placing the checkedout merchandise on a counter area.

Such an arrangement still involves the handling of the merchandise afterit is checked out either by the check out clerk or another employee forthe purpose of placing it into containers and this not only consumestime but also requires that a counter be a substantial size provided atthe check out station so as to be able to hold all of the merchandisethat might be encountered in any given order. g

It has also been attempted to supply carts which unload automaticallybut with the exception of the cart illustrated in my prior U.S. Pat. No.3,083,791,,automatic unloading of merchandise carts has not met withsuccess due to mechanical failure or due to expensive, cumbersome andunreliable equipment required in connection therewith.

Further, even in the case of automatic unloading of a cart in such amanner as to bring the merchandise within the easy reach of the checkout clerk, it is still necessary to handle the merchandise afterchecking out in order to-place it in containers.

In my issued U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,114, I disclose a device for supportingbags to receive merchandise with the bags being so located that they arewithin easy reach of the check out clerk so that as the check out clerkpicks the merchandise up item by item and posts the price thereof in thecash register, the merchandise can be set down directly in the bags.When the order has been completed, or when the bags are filled, they canbe discharged readily from the bag supporting device to a conveyor, orto a receiving cart, and the check out clerk can then place other bagsin the bag supporting device and proceed with further checking outoperations.

Such a bag supporting device, when employed with an automatic unloadingcart of the type illustrated in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No.3,083,791, results in a considerable reduction in the size of a checkout station by greatly reducing counter requirements and, likewise,greatly reduces the number of times the merchandise must be handled andeliminates the need for an extra employee to be available for placingthe merchandise in containers after it has been checked out.

Further, a system of this nature permits the customer to monitor thecheck out clerk during the check out operation and thereby to assist ineliminating errors in the check out operation.

The present invention represents still further developments andrefinements in check out systems of the nature illustrated in theaforementioned patents.

A particular object of the present invention is the provision of amerchandise check out system for retail establishments in which theminimum in space and equipment is required and which is highly efficientin utilizing the personnel of the retail establishment.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a checkout system fora retail establishment in which the check out station isextremely compact and simple in construction, thereby representing aneconomy at the time of installation and, furthermore, being conservingof valuable space in the establishment.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a check outsystem of the nature referred to which will permit the use of a singlynovel cart arrangement for both in store and out of store use.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a check outsystem for a retail establishment which can be constructed so as toeliminate all elongated counter surfaces and moving conveyors from thecheck out station thereby providing for a high degree of simplicity andcompactness and at the same time providing for greater speed andefficiency in the checking out operation.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent upon reference to the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one modification of a check outsystem according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of another modification;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a still further modification;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view showing another type of carry outcart;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cart with a tiltable basket;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the cart of FIG.

FIG. 7 shows a check out system using the cart of FIGS. 5 and 6 for bothin store and carry out purposes;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the latch for the FIG.5 cart;

FIG. 9 shows another check out system of the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows still another check out system of the present invention;

FIG. 11 shows the cart of FIGS. 9 and 10 in nested relation;

FIG. 12 shows another type cart in perspective;

FIG. 13 shows the cart of FIG. 12 in tilted position;

FIG. 14 shows the cart of FIG. 12 in nesting position;

FIG. 15 shows still another type cart from the side with the basket inone tilted position;

FIG. 16 shows the cart of FIG. 15 with the basket in lowered position;

FIG. 17 shows the FIG. 15 cart with the basket tilted upwardly;

FIG. 18 shows the FIG. 15 cart with the basket in the highest positionthereof;

FIG. 19 shows one check out system using the FIG. 15 cart;

FIG. 20 shows another check out system using the FIG. 15 cart; and

FIG. 21 shows the system of FIG. 20 in plan.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes animproved merchandise check out system in which containers such as paperbags for receiving the merchandise are supported within easy reach ofthe check out clerk positioned before a cash register in the check outstation and with the containers so supported and inclined that the itemsbeing handled by the check out clerk can be inserted directly into thecontainers by the clerk after being picked up during the checking outoperation to ascertain the price and to separate the particular itemfrom the remainder of the items being checked out.

The invention, furthermore, provides for the presenting of articles tobe checked out to the check out clerk in such a manner that they neednot be handled by the customer. This can be accomplished by theprovision of an automatically unloading cart, or by the provision of aspecial cart so constructed as to permit the check out clerk readily toeach all items therein without moving from operative position before thecash register.

The supporting of the containers or bags in such position that the checkout clerk can insert checked out items directly therein is accomplishedby the provision of a special bag holding device or by the provision ofa special cart construction in which the bags or containers are placedand which cart supports the bags at the proper angle of inclination andlocation with respect to the check out clerk.

In one advantageous modification of the invention, the check out stationconsists merely of a cash register support, a temporary holding tray foritems that cannot be placed directly into the containers and,optionally, a

scale supporting platform, and space for two special case the cart usedin the store is identical with the one used to convey the containers outof the store, and, at the end of a checking out operation, the nowunloaded in store cart which the customer used to collect themerchandise is merely pushed, or drawn, through the frame which supportsthe holding trayor platform and becomes the cart in which the bags orcontainers are placed to receive the next order checked out.

The dimensions of the check out station in the last mentioned exampleare at a minimum and the inventory of carts is small because only onetype of cart is required, while the operations which must be carried outby the check out clerk, other than the checking out operation, areminimal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 schematically illustrates one arrangementaccording to the present invention wherein the check out stationconsists of a table 10 supporting a cash register 12 and beside whichtable, or integral therewith, is a frame consisting of vertical sideposts 14 with a platform 16 supported on the upper ends thereof. Theposts terminate at the bottom in support feet 17, and extendinglaterally between the posts adjacent the bottom is a short section of aroller conveyor generally indicated at 18.

Mounted on the posts 14 on the side toward the cash register is a powerunit 20 for operating the unloading mechanism of the automatic unloadingcart generally indicated at 22 and which is constructed in accordancewith the disclosure of my pn'or U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,791

Also supported between posts 14 is a bag supporting device generallyindicated at 24 and constructed in conformity with the disclosure in myprior U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,114. Presented to the device 24 from the sideopposite the merchandise cart 22 is an out-of-store or carry out cart 26which is open on the outer end so that it will receive the baggingdevice 24 between the side walls thereof.

The bagging device is adapted for supporting paper bags 28 so positionedand inclined that a check out clerk standing before the cash register 12can place merchandise directly into the bags.

When the bags are loaded, or when an order is completely checked out,the bagging device is tilted about pivot axis 30 thereof and the bagsare discharged into cart 26 and the device is then tilted back to theoriginal position. If further bags are required for the same order,other empty bags can be pushed outwardly away from the bagging device ashort distance and the further bags filled by the check out clerk canthen be unloaded into the cart adjacent the first ones placed therein.

Large items of merchandise, exemplified by box 32 resting on the lowerdeck of cart 22 can be pushed to the lower deck of carry out cart 26 byavailing of roller conveyor 18 thereby eliminating the difficulty oflifting bulky or heavy items while, at the same time, providing theadvantage of checking out of the merchandise items one by one therebyreducing the possibility of making errors that might otherwise occurduring the checking out operation.

A scale can be placed on platform 16, or a further platform can beprovided for a scale. Platform 16, in any case, represents a convenientholding area for temporarily storing items that, for one reason oranother,

separate bag, can be placed on the holding platform while the checkingout of an order is completed.

In any case, it will be observed that the entire check out counterinstallation according to the FIG. 1 arrangement is extremely small andis thus conserving of valuable floor space while, at the same time,multiple handling of the merchandise is eliminated thereby eliminating,or, at least, greatly reducing, the need for extra employees at thecheck out region and greatly speeding up the entire check out operation.

Furthermore, as mentioned, the customer can monitor the checking outoperation from beginning to end and thereby assist in eliminating errorsin connection with the check out operation.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement wherein the check out station 40 is arrangedfor receiving a merchandise cart 42 on the store side. which is of theautomatic unloading type the same as described in connection withFIG. 1. The check out cotlnter also includes a bagging device 44 andwhich is arranged for delivering bags to a conveyor 46 which, at thedischarge end, can be unloaded in a carry out cart 48 or which conveyorcan extend completely through a wall of the establishment to an externaldischarge region.

In FIG. 2, the conveyor 46 is tiltable downwardly at the check outcounter end so as to be able to receive large articles pushed from thelower level of merchandise cart 42 across the roller conveyor section 50forming a part of the check out station.

In FIG. 3, the check out station 60 is providedwith an incoming conveyor62 which is loaded by the customer from a conventional in store cart 64while the bagging device 66 in the check out counter discharges to aconveyor 68 which, as in connection with the FIG. 2 modification, mayextend to an unloading station where a carry out cart 70 is located.

In still another arrangement, as shown in FIG. 4, the bagging device 80at check out station 82 may be arranged to discharge directly into acarry out cart 84. In the arrangement of FIG. 5, the carry out cart 84is open at the front end and can telescope over the bagging device sothat bags can be discharged completely into the back end of the carryout cart and then the cart moved backwardly a short distance and anotherset of bags disposed in front of the bags previously placed in the carryout cart.

FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate a modified form of cart and a check out systemutilizing the cart having particular merit in respect of convenience andeconomy.

The cart illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises a frame consisting oftheU shaped frame part 90 at the bottom of the cart which has relativelylarge wheels 92 at the back and smaller caster mounted wheels 94 at thefront. Frame 90 carries a lower deck member 96 pivotally connected atthe front end at 98 to the frame and tiltable upwardly about the pivotalconnection. Transverse bar 100, at the back of the lower deck, providesa stop for stopping the lower deck in the lower position in which it isillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The frame of the cart comprises the inverted U shaped frame parts 102 atthe sides fixed to and upstanding from the rear end of U" shaped framepart 90. Welded, or otherwise fixedly secured to the upper end of eachframe part 102, is a plate 104, each of which carries a pivot 106 forbasket 108 and each of which plates also has formed thereon a flange l10 concentric with pivot 106 and provided with spaced holes 1 1'2.

Basket 108 is open at the front at 114 and has a substantiallyconventional inwardly swingable back wall 116. The entire basket ispivotal about the pivots 106 so that it can be tilted from asubstantially horizontal position upwardly to angles of about 22 fromthe horizontal, 45 to the horizontal, and about 60 to the horizontal.

The basket 108 on opposite sides thereof carries the tubular elements118 and slidably mounted therein are plungers 120 which, at their upperends, are interconnected by transverse lock bar 122 positioned somewhatforwardly and downwardly relative to transverse handle 124 for the cart.Handle 124 is made rigid with the cart by fixedly securing opposite endsof the handle to the heavy wire frame 126 of the cart.

The lower ends of tubular elements 114 may be secured to thebrackets 128fixed to opposite sides of the cart adjacent the arcuate flanges 110 ofthe respective plates 104.

FIG. 5 shows the basket 108 of the cart in its lower position whereasFIG. 6 shows the basket of the cart tilted up to about its 22 positionand which is an advantageous position for the basket to occupy while itis used for in store operation. The basket could also occupy itshorizontal position for in store operation if so desired.

FIG. 7 shows the manner in which the cart of FIGS. 5 and 6 could beutilized in arriving at the compact check out station. In FIG. 7, thecheck out station merely consists of the spaced upstanding frame members130 having connected thereto a platform for supporting cash register 132and advantageous having a convenience or holding platform 134 at theupper ends.

An in store cart, generally indicated at 136, is presented front endforemost to the check out station and may be held in place as by theridges 138 on the floor which engage the rear wheels 92 of the cart butwhich are preferably spaced far enough apart to clear the closely spacedfront wheels of the cart. The basket 108 of cart 136 is tilted to its 22angle and this makes it convenient for the check out clerk to pick upthe merchandise directly from cart 136.

The other cart shown in FIG. 7, indicated generally at 140, is the carryout cart and is presented rear end foremost to the check out station andwith the basket 108 thereof tilted to either the 45 position or the 60position thereof. Basket 108 of the carry out cart can have one or morebags 142'placed therein which will be supported in tilted position sothat the clerk can place the merchandise directly into the bag. Cart isalso preferably retained in position by ridges 144 on the floor whichengage the back wheels 92 of the cart but which are laterally spaced agreater distance than front wheels 94 of the cart.

When an order has been completely checked out, the basket of cart 140can be tilted downwardly to its 22 position, or to its lower position,when the cart is utilized as a carry out cart. The now empty cart 136 ispushed by the check out clerk to carry out position and the basket istilted upwardly to the angle desired by the check out clerk and becomesthe carry out cart for the next order to be checked out.

Any large items resting on the lower deck 96 of the in store cart can betransferred directly to the lower deck 96 of the carry out cart at theend of the checking out operation merely by lowering basket 108 of carryout cart 140 in its carry out position and by tilting basket 108 of thein store cart 136 upwardly which will make the articles on the lowerdeck of the in store cart readily accessible to the check out clerk.

It will be noted, particularly in FIG. 7, that the handle 124 of thecart inreceiving or, outgoing, position is located below the lower endof the cart in incoming position so that no interference is offered bythe handle to the transfer of merchandise from the incoming cart intothe container, or containers, carried in the outgoing cart.

FIG. 9 shows a modified arrangement of a check out station according tothe present invention wherein an incoming cart 150 is presented frontend foremost to the open frame 152 forming a part of the check outstation and at the side of which is disposed the cash register 154before which the check out clerk stands. Frame 152 comprises laterallyspaced legs having a conveyor means, such as a roller conveyor 156carried between the legs thereof at about the level of lower deck 158 ofthe incoming cart 150 and of lower deck 160 of outgoing cart 162. Thelegs of frame 152 may at the top carry a shelf 164, whichadvantageously, may consist of a sheet of transparent plastic material.

Cart 162, which is identical with cart 150, is presented front endforemost toward frame 152 and is adapted to receive, in the open end ofthe basket, a tiltable support frame 166 which is adapted to support oneor more merchandise receiving containers such as bag 168. When supportframe 166 is tilted about its pivotal support 170, the container, orcontainers, therein will be discharged into the basket 172 of cart 162.The floor may be provided with ridges 174 to locate cart 162 and ridges176 to locate cart 150. Optionally, a second set of ridges 178 may beprovided for cart 162 to hold it in a second operative position afterone set of containers has been discharged therein from support frame166.

In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 9, merchandise is picked up fromthe basket 180 of incoming cart 150, the price thereof is posted in thecash register, and the merchandise then placed directly in container168.

Large articles of merchandise, as shown in 182, at the lower deck ofcart 150 can be moved directly across conveyor 156 to the lower deck ofcart 162.

The carts 150 and 162 in FIG. 9 are identical and each basket has fixedthereto a latch plate 184 and is pivoted by pivot means 186 to a bracketplate 188 fixed to the frame of the cart. Each latch plate 184 has anotch 190 in the rear end adapted for receiving the ends 192 of a latchframe which is pivoted to the frame of the cart on the center line of atransverse bar 194. The lower end of the latch frame, at 196, is sodisposed relative to the inclined rear end of the tiltable lower deck ofthe cart that when the lower deck is moved upwardly at the-back, ends192 will be withdrawn from As will be seen in FIG; 11, the carts areadapted to nest with the baskets thereof in lowered position and whentwo carts are brought into telescopic engagement the front end 204 ofthe frame of the rearmost cart will tilt up the lower deck of theforemost cart and release the basket thereof, if in tilted position, sothat it will drop to its lowered position and permit completetelescoping of the carts.

The cart of FIGS. 10 and 11 is subject to modification to adapt it tovarious uses. This is illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14 in which a cart isshown having a basket open at the front and top and closed on the othersides and which is dimensioned substantially wider than conventionalmerchandise carts. The basket of the cart of FIGS. 12 to 14 is adaptedfor conveying luggage, and for use as an invalid chair, or the like, inairports and similar places. The cart in FIG. 12 has a frame 210 with alower deck 212 resting on the frame 210 in the lower region of the cartand tiltable upwardly at the back end.

The cart has a basket 214 in the upper portion of the frame and which,toward the back, carries a latch plate 216 pivoted at 218 to a pivotbracket 220 fixed to the cart frame. Each latch plate 216 has a rearnotch 222 engageable with a latch bar 224 which is pivoted on transverserod 226 carried on the cart frame. The basket 214 will be stopped in itslower position by the abutment means 228 on the basket which engages theunderside of handle 230 and can be supported in tilted position, asshown in FIG. 13, by availing of latch plates 216 and latch bar 224.

The basket 214 of the cart of FIGS. 12 to 14-tapers inwardly from top tobottom and is adapted for being pivoted upwardly to a vertical positionas shown in FIG. 14 and nested with other carts. When pivoted to itsuppermost position, and which is a stable position, the back end of thebasket 214 will engage the pivot members 232 for rod 226 and thereby besupported in vertical position. The front end of each cart frame willtilt up the lower deck of the next preceding cart frame thereby topermit the telescoping of the carts as illustrated in FIG. 14.

The present invention is also concerned with a check out systemutilizing still another cart of special design having particular meritin respect of merchandise check out systems and systems with which itcan be used as shown in FIGS. 15 to 21. The cart will be seen tocomprise large rear wheels 300 and smaller front wheels 302 with thefront wheels mounted on caster support 304. The cart is provided with atubular frame consisting of the lowermost horizontal portion 306, whichis U shaped, closed at the front and tapering inwardly toward the frontand open toward the rear of the cart, and with vertical tubular members308 and 310 extending upwardly from near the rear end of frame part 306.

At their upper ends, frame members 308 and 310 are interconnected andare fixed to an upwardly and rearwardly extending handle portion 312.The tubular members 308 and 310 and tubular frame 306 are weldedtogether and form a substantially rigid frame work for the cart.

Extending between and fixed to members 308 and 310 on opposite sides ofthe cart are plates 314 which near the front lower corners thereof havepivots 316 for pivotally supporting a basket structure generallyidentified at 318. The basket has plates 315 fixed thereto on oppositesides adjacent plates 314 and pivots 316 pivotally connect each plate315 and the adjacent plate 314 for tilting of the basket.

The basket structure is shown in FIGS. 16 in its lowermost position andis stopped in this position by any suitable abutment means such as therod means 320 toward the back of the basket at the top which engagesunder the underside of the handle structure of the vehicle.

Other abutment means could, of course, be provided for stopping thebasket in its FIG. 16 position. It will be noted that the basket, whenin its lowered, or FIG. 16, position may incline somewhat upwardly onthe bottom and downwardly on the top toward the front of the cart. Thebasket is provided with a substantial frame member 322 extending alongthe top edges and down the side edges at the front and across the bottomat the front and either integral with or welded to the rod means 320extending across the basket at the top.

The basket is completed by the vertical and generally horizontal wires324 which are arranged and formed in a substantially conventional mannerand connected to frame member 322.

The cart has a lower deck 326 preferably formed by longitudinallyextending rods interconnected at the front and back ends and pivotallysupported at 328 near the front of the cart so that the back end of thelower deck can be moved up and down. Toward the rear end of the lowerdeck 326 there is an upwardly and rearwardly inclined portion 330terminating in a rearwardly extending part 332 which is accessible fromthe rear of the cart.

A transverse rod 334 forming a part of the lower deck provides a stoptherefor in the lowest position of the deck by engaging frame part 306.The deck can be elevated by lifting the projecting portion 332 with thetoe or by hand.

Further, when the carts are nested, the front end of frame part 306 ofthe rear one of a pair of nested carts will engage inclined portion 330of the lower deck of the front one of the pair of carts and elevate deck326 at the front cart.

Pivotally mounted on the back of upright members 308, as by the pivots336, is a latch frame 338. The lower end of the latch frame 339 is sodisposed relative to the upwardly inclined portion 330 of lower deck 326that when deck 326 is pivoted upwardly about its pivotal support 328,latch frame 338 is pivoted about its pivot 336 in the counterclockwisedirection as it is viewed in FIGS. and 16.

Latch frame 338 preferably comprises side portion at the sides of thecart with transversely extending top and bottom bar members 339 and 340,respectively. The lower bar member 339 is engaged by the upwardlyinclined portion 330 of lower deck 326 while the upper bar member340cooperates with notches formedin the back edges of the plates 314. Thespace between the upper bar member 340 of latch frame 338 and the lowertransverse bar member 339 thereof is open so that articles ofmerchandise can be passed therethrough to lower deck 326 for a purposeto become more apparent hereinafter.

The cart is shown with the basket tilted up at an angle of about 22 inFIG. 15. This tilting of the basket can readily be accomplished bylifting of the front end of the basket and the basket is retained in itstilted position by engagement of the upper transverse bar member 340 ofthe latch frame with the lower notches 344 in the back edges of plates314. These notches are so disposed that, once the bar member 340 isengaged therewith, the basket will be locked in its tilted position andcannot be tilted in either direction until bar member 340 is withdrawnfrom notches 344.

Thus, the basket at its 22 tilted position will not be releasedtherefrom except by the deliberate act of moving the upper end of latchframe 338 in the backward direction. The cart in its 22 position can beemployed for collecting merchandise to be checked out or, if themerchandise is collected in the cart while the cart basket is in itslower position, the check out clerk will lift the basket to its 22position before commencing to check out an order. Since the basket isopen at its front end, it is preferable for it to be in its 22 positionfor the collecting of merchandise by the customer.

FIG. 17 shows the cart with the basket tilted upwardly to an angle ofabout 50 to 60 When the basket is tilted to this angle, transverse barmember 340 at the upper end of latch frame 338 engages upper notches 346in the back edges of plates 314. These notches are also formed so thatonce the bar member 340 is engaged therewith, tilting of the basket ineither direction can only be accomplished by first deliberately removingbar member 340 from notches 346.

As will be seen hereinafter, the cart basket is tilted to its FIG. 17position for supporting bags during a checking out operation and mayremain in this position during a carry out operation, or may be loweredto its FIG. 15, or even to its FIG. 16.position, for carry outoperations.

FIG. 18 shows a still further position which the basket of the cart ofFIGS. 15 and 16 can occupy and wherein the basket is tilted up to asubstantially vertical position. In this position of the basket, andwhich is a stable position, but not a latched position, the carts can benested. The cart basket, in the FIG. 18 position thereof, can stopagainst the pivot members 336 of the latch frame 338. For nesting of thecarts, the baskets 318 taper inwardly toward the bottom so that thebottom of one basket is readily receivableinto the top of an adjacentbasket.

One manner of using the cart of FIGS. 15 to 18 is shown in FIG. 19. InFIG. 19, a first cart 360 of the type mentioned is presented front endforemost to the check out station on the incoming side and a second cart362 of the type mentioned is presented front end foremost at theoutgoing side of the check out station. The check out station, generallyindicated at 364, is disposed between the carts and includes a baggingdevice 366. In FIG. 19, the incoming cart is tilted upwardly at an angleof 22 degrees and the outgoing cart is positioned with the basket in itslower position.

Either one or both of the carts may be provided with holding devices inthe nature of protrusions 368 on the floor which engage opposite sidesof at least one of the larger rear wheels of the cart while beingdisposed at such a distance apart that the more closely positioned frontwheels of the cart will pass therebetween.

FIG. 19 also shows that the check out station may comprise a shortsection of roller conveyor at 370 across which articles of merchandiseof substantial size can be moved from the lower deck of incoming cart360 to the lower deck of outgoing cart 362.

In FIGS. 20 and 21, there is shown a particularly advantageousinstallation wherein the check out station 380 is constructed with theside posts 382 thereof spaced apart a sufficient distance to permitcarts of the type illustrated in FIGS. to 18 to pass directlytherethrough. With this arrangement, it becomes possible to carry out achecking operation by presenting a merchandise cart 384 in which anorder has been collected by a customer, front end foremost, in theincoming position in the check out station and with the basket tilted upto the 22 position.

As in the case of the FIG. 19 arrangement, protrusions 386 on he floorengage the rear wheels of cart 384 and are spaced apart a sufficientdistance to permit the front wheels of the cart to pass therebetween.

The outgoing cart 388 is located directly in front of incoming cart 384and faces in the same direction as the incoming cart but has the basketthereof tilted upwardly to its 50 to 60 position. As in connection withthe incoming cart, protrusions 390 on the floor may be provided forlocating cart 388. With cart 388 positioned as illustrated, bags 392 canbe placed therein and will be supported in inclined position with theopen ends toward the check out clerk standing in check out positionbefore cash register 394 so that the check out clerk can pick themerchandise up item by item from incoming cart 384, post the pricethereof in cash register 394, and then place the merchandise directly inone of the bags in outgoing cart 388.

As mentioned previously, a scale platform can be provided so that itemscan be weighed while being checked out and, furthermore, a holdingplatform can be provided for holding merchandise that requires specialbagging or special handling or which for any other reason cannot beimmediately placed in the bags in cart 388.

It will be noted in FIG. 20 that the positioning of the handle portion400 of the outgoing cart is at an elevatedposition such that it does notinterfere in any way with the operation of filling the bags in theoutgoing cart or the removing of items of merchandise from the incomingcart.

When an order has been completely checked out and transferred to thecontainers in outgoing cart 388, including any articles on the lowerdeck thereof, the basket can easily be lowered either to its 22 positionor its horizontal position and pushed away from the check out stationand the customer, or a special employee, can then use the outgoing cartto convey the merchandise to a waiting vehicle.

The now empty incoming cart is now merely pushed through the check outstation to the outgoing position and tilted upwardly to its 50 to 60position and can now be used as the outgoing cart for the next order tobe checked out. The latch lever 338 is within easy reach of the checkout clerk so that the operation of tilting the basket upwardly anddownwardly involves no particular effort or inconvenience or lost timeto the check out clerk.

The arrangement of FIG. 20 results in an extremely compact check outstation in that all counter areas for incoming and outgoing merchandiseare eliminated, other than the elevated holding platform; no motorizedconveyors or other devices are required; and only one type of cart isrequired for both in store and out of store use. The dimensions of thecheck out station are extremely small as compared to conventional checkout installations and valuable floor space is thus conserved.

Further, the reduced number of times the merchandise must be'handledaccording to FIG. 20 arrangement results in a substantial economy oftime and effort on the part of the check out clerk and the eliminationof, or substantial reduction in, the number of extra em ployees requiredat the check out stations in an establishment for bagging and handlingorders.

With the FIG. 20 arrangement, the advantage is also had, as has beenreferred to before, that the customer can monitor the checking outoperations thereby assisting in keeping errors in this operation at aminimum.

It will be evident that the check out station of FIG. 20, as well ascertain others illustrated, have the capability of being constructed ineasily assembled parts and shipped in relatively small packages inknocked down form and are capable of being quickly assembled at theplace of installation.

Still further, through the elimination of conveyors and motors thereforand counter areas and the like, a great deal of cost is eliminated andthe check out installations can be installed much more economically thancheck out stations according to the prior art.

FIG. 21 shows the check out station of FIG. 20 in schematic plan viewand illustrates the relative positioning of the carts and will servealso to illustrate the extreme compactness of the check out station ascompared to conventional check out stations.

Even including cabinet space beneath the register, support for bags andthe like and the holding platform and a scale platform, a check outstation constructed according to FIGS. 20 and 21 will occupy a space ofabout 2 feet by 5 feet as opposed to a space of about 6 feet by 12 feettaken up by a conventional check out station having a counter on whichthe customer un loads goods and a conveyor to which the check out clerkdelivers goods and which conveys the goods to a bagging station wherethe goods are manually bagged as a separate operation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a merchandise check out system; a check out station comprising aninverted U shaped frame and a path along which wheeled carts can movethrough the frame in end to end relation, a cash register support at oneside of the frame for supporting a cash register, an incoming wheeledcart on one side of said frame presenting merchandise within easy reachof a clerk in operative position before said cash register support andan outgoing wheeled cart on the other side of said U" shaped frame inend to end relation with said incoming cart supporting containers withineasy reach of the said clerk, each said cart comprising a frame and abasket therein, each basket being pivotally connected to its frame on ahorizontal axis near the lower rear end of the basket, latch meansoperatively disposed between each frame and the respective basketoperable, for latching the basket in at least one upwardly tiltedposition in the frame, each cart including a lower deck pivoted at thefront end to said frame on a horizontal axis, and means operated byupward tilting movement of the deck in said frame for releasing saidlatch means.

2. A system according to claim 1 in which each basket is open at the topand front end and closed on the sides and bottom and back.

3. A system according to claim 1 which includes means at the rear of thebasket for releasing said latch means.

4. A system according to claim 1 which includes means along said pathengageable with the wheels of said incoming and outgoing carts to locatethe carts in end to end relation at said U shaped frame with one cart oneach side of the frame.

5. A system according to claim 1 which includes a holding platform ontop of said U shaped frame.

6. In a merchandise check out system; a check out station comprising acash register support, an incoming merchandise cart adjacent the cashregister support for presenting merchandise in such position as to bewithin reach of a clerk in operative position before said cash registersupport for handling of the merchandise item by item by the clerk duringthe checking out of the merchandise, and an outgoing merchandise cartadjacent said cash register support in end to end relation to saidincoming cart and including container supporting means for supportingmerchandise containers having opening means therein for receiving thechecked out merchandise item by item, said outgoing cart being adaptedfor supporting said containers in inclined position with the openingsthereof presented toward and within reach of said clerk whereby thecheck out clerk can handle the merchandise in said incoming cart whichis to be checked out item by item and transfer the items as handleddirectly to the containers in said outgoing cart while posting the pricethereof in the cash register, each cart having a wheel supported framewith a deck in the lower portion and a basket in the upper portion, eachbasket being open at the front end, pivot means near the lower rear endof each basket pivotally connecting the basket to the respective framefor tilting movement of each basket in its frame, each basket having alower and an upper stopped tilted position in its frame and at least oneintermediate tilted position therebetween, latch means for releasablylatching each basket in at least said one intermediate tilted positionin its frame, said latch means being manually operable from the rear ofthe respective cart, the deck of each cart being tiltable upwardly inthe cart frame about the front end of the deck, and means operated byupward tilting of the deck for disengaging said latch means.

7. A check out system according to claim 6 in which each said frame hasa lower horizontal part in which said deck is supported which is open atthe rear and tapers inwardly toward the front for nesting of said carts,each deck having the rear end inclined downwardly toward the front to alevel below that of the front end of said lower horizontal part of theframe whereby nesting of a pair of carts will cause the deck of theforemost cart to be tilted upwardly and actuate the said latch meansinto disengaged position.

8. A check out system according to claim 7 in which said baskets includerear walls pivoted at the top to the baskets so as to be swingableinwardly thereof, and said baskets in lower position incline upwardlytoward the front on the bottom and taper inwardly toward the front onthe sides for telescopic engagement of the baskets with each other whenthe carts are nested.

1. In a merchandise check out system; a check out station comprising aninverted ''''U'''' shaped frame and a path along which wheeled carts canmove through the frame in end to end relation, a cash register supportat one side of the frame for supporting a cash register, an incomingwheeled cart on one side of said frame presenting merchandise withineasy reach of a clerk in operative position before said cash registersupport and an outgoing wheeled cart on the other side of said ''''U''''shaped frame in end to end relation with said incoming cart supportingcontainers within easy reach of the said clerk, each said cartcomprising a frame and a basket therein, each basket being pivotallyconnected to its frame on a horizontal axis near the lower rear end ofthe basket, latch means operatively disposed between each frame and therespective basket operable for latching the basket in at least oneupwardly tilted position in the frame, each cart including a lower deckpivoted at the front end to said frame on a horizontal axis, and meansoperated by upward tilting movement of the deck in said frame forreleasing said latch means.
 2. A system according to claim 1 in whicheach basket is open at the top and front end and closed on the sides andbottom and back.
 3. A system according to claim 1 which includes meansat the rear of the basket for releasing said latch means.
 4. A systemaccording to claim 1 which includes means along said path engageablewith the wheels of said incoming and outgoing carts to locate the cartsin end to end relation at said ''''U'''' shaped frame with one cart oneach side of the frame.
 5. A system according to claim 1 which includesa holding platform on top of said ''''U'''' shaped frame.
 6. In amerchandise check out system; a check out station comprising a cashregister support, an incoming merchandise cart adjacent the cashregister support for presenting merchandise in such position as to bewithin reach of a clerk in operative position before said cash registersupport for handling of the merchandise item by item by the clerk duringthe checking out of the merchandise, and an outgoing merchandise cartadjacent said cash register support in end to end relation to saidincoming cart and including container supporting means for supportingmerchandise containers having opening means therein for receiving thechecked out merchandise item by item, said outgoing cart being adaptedfor supporting said containers in inclined position with the openingsthereof presented toward and within reach of said clerk whereby thecheck out clerk can handle the merchandise in said incoming cart whichis to be checked out item by item and transfer the items as handleddirectly to the containers in said outgoing cart while posting the pricethereof in the cash register, each cart having a wheel supported framewith a deck in the lower portion and a basket in the upper portion, eachbasket being open at the front end, pivot means near the lower rear endof each basket pivotally connecting the basket to the respective framefor tilting movement of each basket in its frame, each basket having alower and an upper stopped tilted position in its frame and at least oneintermediate tilted position therebetween, latch means for releasablylatching each basket in at least said one intermediate tilted positionin its frame, said latch means being manually operable from the rear ofthe respective cart, the deck of each cart being tiltable upwardly inthe cart frame about the front end of the deck, and means operated byupward tilting of the deck for disengaging said latch means.
 7. A checkout system according to claim 6 in which each said frame has a lowerhorizontal part in which said deck is supported which is open at therear and tapers inwardly toward the front for nesting of said carts,each deck having the rear end inclined downwardly toward the front to alevel below that of the front end of said lower horizontal part of theframe whereby nesting of a pair of carts will cause the deck of theforemost cart to be tilted upwardly and actuate the said latch meansinto disengaged position.
 8. A check out system according to claim 7 inwhich said baskets include rear walls pivoted at the top to the basketsso as to be swingable inwardly thereof, and said baskets in lowerposition incline upwardly toward the front on the bottom and taperinwardly toward the front on the sides for telescopic engagement of thebaskets with each other when the carts are nested.